Is classical music a dying art form?

B.

As the New York Daily so frankly put it, ‘The fat lady is still singing’. However the question should seem to be ‘will she continue singing?’. The death of classical music has been echoed for decades and is still around today. A recent episode of Modern family mocked classical music as though it were just for the pretentious. Looking back this idea that classical music is only for the pretentious is almost a tradition with the same feeling being found in the Marx Brothers, A night at the opera. However classical music has survived the eighty years since the airing of this and is still a prominent art form around the globe.

Album sales in the genre of classical are certainly minimal and have shown a decline of recent years with the most recent statistics putting the classical genre at approximately 3.2% of total album sales. Whilst this may seem measly, when compared to Jazz that barely holds over 1% of total sales it does not look too bad. And yet it is classical music that is at ‘Deaths door’. However although the figures aren’t terrible, for the individual classical artist the sales figures are grim. Hilary Hahn a hugely accomplished and respected violinist gained a number one spot in 2010 on Billboard’s classical chart even though the album had sold under a thousand copies at the time.

In America classical music would appear to be struggling with some its world-renowned orchestras claiming for bankruptcy. The deficit in the wake of the American economic crisis of 2008 caused many orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra to claim for bankruptcy and seek court protection. The orchestra won court protection and got out of its pension obligations and although times were rocky for a while the orchestra seems to have come back and is doing well. Through a drastic reorganisation of there business model the orchestra has managed to increase t public performances from eighty to one hundred this year as well as seeing an increase in digital sales. The orchestra also seems to have increased its online visibility through live broadcasts on their website.  A more diverse approach has been implemented with the orchestra playing pop programmes as well as classical and performing at the Mann centre with Josh Groban.

Although symphonic orchestras appear to be struggling people still see it as a civic pride to have a major league orchestra in their city. Government funding for orchestras in America has increased to ensure that the long standing tradition continues.

Is classical music a dying art form?

a            The demise of classical music seems to be a topic of particular interest in recent years with some media outlooks seeming to be on a classical music ‘deathwatch’.

I recently read an article in the independent, which was telling the story of the writer sitting in a tube station enjoying a Beethoven work, that was being played through the station’s speaker system. The story looks upon this experience critically due to the fact that the music is being used as a deterrent for layabouts and trouble causers, as in his opinion, ‘people can be relied to loathe [the music]’. I would somewhat agree to this conclusion, certainly in terms of the reason for the music being played. This could be insulting to classical music lovers and degrading to the art form. However, there is a certain positive element I feel is being overlooked. Classical music is a genre, especially in the UK, which is not exposed enough. To have it played in a public place, even if it only captures the interest of one person for every thousand that pass through the station, that is one person exposed to an art form he or she may have never previously heard. I would also argue, that although possibly not to the extent of a Beethoven symphony, if Scouting For Girls were being played over the tannoy, this would present an almost equally successful deterrent against anybody staying to long.

Peter Maxwell Davies, recently criticized the government’s treatment of classical music as an ‘elitist fringe activity’. He said the state of classical music in education was so poor most students do not even know who Mozart is. It is interesting to reflect on this thought, as perhaps if more time was spent introducing children to classical works and teaching them how to understand the music then maybe more young people would listen to it. Peter Maxwell Davies has now stepped down from his title as the Queen’s composer and is dedicating his time to regenerating interest in classical music with young people. The elitist attitude towards classical music can certainly be alienating to a younger generation. In my last year of school I attended an opera in London’s Covent gardens with two friends and we found ourselves awash with classical jargon and pretentious people, who made us feel underdressed and out of place. However, as Peter Maxwell Davies stated if we understood more about the music perhaps we would have felt less out of place.

Looking at it from another angle perhaps it would be more beneficial introducing children to classical music by showing them contemporary classical works, which draw upon ideas from music that they can understand. For example introducing people to performers like Greg Pattilo and Pedro Saxo who have looked at new ways of performing on their instruments, which create contemporary classical works with certain elements of popular music. This merge of genres and use of traditional and non-traditional methods of performing has created interest in the younger generation. However the music is not exposed enough and maybe if it was played in music lessons and used in education it could alter young peoples perspective and inspire them.

There are areas where classical music is flourishing even if it is only passively being listened too, for example the film industry. The film industry is a billion pound a year industry with a lot of the most acclaimed and popular films featuring classically styled music. The popular film series ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ had a hugely popular soundtrack with one YouTube recording having over eleven million views.

YouTube and other social media forums create a new platform for concerts readily available whenever at the viewer’s convenience. Although recent years have shown a decline in ticket sales for concert hall performances, perhaps this is not due to a lack of interest in classical music but is more a reflection of an increasingly digital world. This new public platform also undermines the somewhat elitist attitude towards classical music by making it readily available to everyone. However, it is important to note that this does have a certain negative effect on classical music as though it may be increasing interest it is not increasing sales.

In my opinion classical music is not dead or dying but just struggling to fit its current ‘business model’ with the society we live in today. However it is evolving and changing and will continue to do so as it has done for so long.

concert review; new music collective

Now in its second year the new music collective is a cross genre collaboration between students at Leeds College of Music. The concert had a plethora of musical styles from minimalism to contemporary pop all expertly programmed by the group’s director Damien Harron.

The concert was held in The Venue the college’s largest concert hall with a modest but seemingly enthusiastic audience. Opening with ‘Running like clockwork’ by student Liam Brigg, a melodic piece that was a pleasant introduction. The piece seemed to be built on rhythmic fragments on the same idea, which was passed between the instruments in the ensemble. The piece, possibly a little to repetitive was interesting nonetheless.

Other student works of particular interest, which featured in the concert, were that of Barney Tabor and Lisa Burgess. Both composers of contemporary classical music their creativity shone in the performances of their pieces ‘Murder with too many notes’  (Tabor) and ‘Psychoanalysis’ (Burgess). ‘Psychoanalysis’, whilst not a piece I would ever find myself humming to on the bus ride home, kept the listeners interested and and built up a tension within the music. The work, featuring not only traditional scoring but a mix of the latter and graphic scores gave the performers a certain element of freedom whilst playing. The graphic score sections were of particular interest and the inventiveness of the performers led to some interesting passages. 

The concert also had a mix of solo performances. An astounding performance of a Xanakis work featuring Alexandros Peperlasis on mixed percussion was one such solo piece. The work, virtuosic in nature was performed brilliantly by Alexandros who’s precision led to a dramatic performance. The work not only stunning to the ear also boasted a stunning visual element to it due to the fast changes between the instruments.

Slightly different to the previous New Music Collective concerts this programme seemed to have a lot of contemporary classical music programmed in and less from the other pathways of the college. This having been said there was one pop performance by student Thomas Trueman. His piece added something different to the concert and was a pleasant break from some of the harder listening contemporary classical pieces.

Revisited album review; Marcel mule, le patron of the saxophone

Listening to this album now it is reminiscent of an era long since gone, a hail to the past and yet still a pinnacle album for classical saxophonists.

Although only being released just over ten years ago the album features recordings done in the early twentieth century by the ‘father’ of the saxophone Marcel Mule. Today classical saxophone has developed hugely in the way we approach it and the style we play diverging from the old romantics such as Mule and Rascher. However some aspects of Mules playing are still mirrored today and the impact he had on the saxophone and its potential was astounding.

The saxophone was originally designed by Adolphe Sax as instrument to play in ensembles to bridge the gap between the brass section and the upper woodwind the fact that it could be a solo instrument was not really taken seriously until Marcel Mule. Mule’s playing style and ability to understand the instrument led him to a hugely prosperous career and opened up a huge amount of possibilities for saxophone players. Whenever classical saxophonists use Vibrato today, although it is used less frequently than in the past, it is still a homage to Mr Mule. In the saxophones humble beginnings a straight tone was used which meant no vibrato, but thanks to Mules exposure to Jazz music and the players use of vibrato he developed a use of vibrato for the classical saxophone and one one which we still use today, even if it is not as excessive as on mules recordings.   

The album opens with an arrangement of Jean Phillipe Rameau’s Gavotte for violin. Mules assured tone at the beginning sets the theme for the rest of the album. Although the saxophone and the violin are far from similar Mule’s tone has a certain subtlety and delicacy which is similar to the violin recordings of this piece.  The first note has strength to it and leads the piece in beautifully. The dynamics are perfect and the ends of phrases are well directed with the saxophonist and pianist follow each other well with expert precision.

The album continues with mules own arrangement of Roelens Pavanne et menuet vif. A beautiful arrangement mule shows off his fluency on the saxophone with his fast runs neatly executed with a precision only a master could show. One thing that really strikes me about mules playing on all of these recordings is his impeccable intonation. Playing in a time when the saxophone was relatively new and the design was not nearly as advanced as the saxophones we play on today, Mules tone never waivers nor does his intonation.

The album features a lot of arrangements either by Marcel Mule or for him, this is due to the nature of the saxophone in the classical field and as Mule was a turning point for the saxophone as a solo instrument there wasn’t a huge amount of ‘good’ solo repertoire available to him. Fortunately throughout his life Marcel Mule had a number of works commissioned by him or dedicated to him from highly influential composers. One such composer that had a hugely beneficial outcome for both Mule and the classical saxophone was Eugene Bozza. This album features two works by Bozza; andante et scherzo (for saxophone quartet) and concertino (for saxophone and piano). Andante et scherzo is still a standard for saxophone quartet today but in the time of Mule marked a big step towards saxophone chamber music. The piece opens with a well-phrased tenor saxophone who sings the line and creates a tender opening to the work. As the piece progresses you hear well controlled entries from all the players each player giving meaning to every note and never throwing away the end of the phrase. This all builds up to a incredibly fast second movement which in my opinion is subjected to some heavy tonguing in the lower section but with this aside is an exciting and climactic finish. It is interesting to hear the work played by performers who would have no doubt worked with the composer.

The album not only featuring solo and small chamber ensembles works also features one of the earliest recordings of a pinnacle work for the saxophone and orchestra. The Ibert Concertino de Camera is regarded as a virtuosic piece for the saxophone and although other concerto’s for the saxophone, such as the Glazunov, Concertino de Camera for me is the pinnacle concerto for showing off the saxophones ability as a classical instrument. Mule’s recording showcases his true virtuosity although for me the work is not the same without the altissimo passages. Mule at the time could not play in the altissimo register which is a true shame as with the altissimo passages this recording for me would be perfect.

Overall this album is fantastic and it is great to every now and then revert back to listening to the ‘original’ classical saxophonists to know how far the classical saxophone has developed in such a short space of time.

Contemporary saxophone; an interview with Lucy Fox

High-pitched squeals echo down the hall as I approach the practice room I am to interview saxophonist Lucy Fox. As a saxophonist myself I approach this interview with a certain trepidation but also interest to see if our opinions on classical saxophone playing align.

From growing up in her hometown of Birmingham she tells me that her interest in music was ‘always strong’ as she played in ‘various ensembles’ playing the saxophone but when at school actually primarily flute. She goes on to tell me that after listening to many albums and CD’s she ‘loved the tone’ of the saxophone, especially classical saxophone. ‘The main sound people associate with the saxophone are the harsh jazz sounds of [Michael] Brecker or [Charlie] Parker, which are nothing like the developed [classical] sounds of Arno Bornkamp or Claude Delangle’.

Lucy tells me ‘its hard to imagine a time when I hadn’t heard these players’. In secondary school a lot of her playing was learning pieces for ABRSM (associated board of the royals schools of music) exams, and although she was successful in these exams it wasn’t until sixth form that she ‘even listened to classical saxophone’.  She says this as though its madness but I say it ‘wasn’t until university that I first listened to a classical saxophone recording’ and we both laugh. The repertoire for the ABRSM saxophone exams includes works by Bozza, Bach and Singelee and although these are great pieces they ‘are steeped in a tradition which perhaps isn’t relevant to classical saxophone players today’. 

‘A classical pianist has a catalogue of hundreds of fantastic ‘classical’ works to draw upon with many audiences knowing the works being performed’. Lucy tells me that in her opinion the classical saxophone does not have this ‘deep rooted’ tradition and although some of the great composers have written works for the saxophone, ‘Ibert, Glazunov and Bozza’, these are few and for Lucy the more interesting and exciting repertoire are ‘contemporary and written considering the saxophone as more than just a classical instrument’.  Repertoire Lucy is looking at this year includes a piece I have never come across before by composer Eugene Rosse, Lobuk constrictor. ‘The piece explores the tonal versatility’ of the saxophone with its ‘use of multiphonics slap tonguing’ and many more extended techniques.  Lucy tells me the piece was described by Jean Marie Londiex as ‘THE introductory work for students looking at contemporary repertoire’. I ask her if she wouldn’t mind playing it to me and she happily obliges.  Lucy’s playing is very well controlled with a sonorous tone, which projects beautifully, and although we are only in a small practice room I can imagine her sound would comfortably fill a large concert hall.  One of the things that strikes me about this piece is that there are no elements of it that I could sing back or would find myself humming on the way home and yet still the piece was hugely effective and kept me transfixed throughout the performance.  Lucy tells me that, in her opinion, ‘the piece is mainly effective because of the atmosphere it creates’.

            ‘Christian Lauba is a composer who I feel similarly embodies this idea of creating an atmosphere in his works rather than beautiful ‘classical’ melodies’. She tells me that she performed one of his works, ‘Mutation Coleurs’, with the Huddersfield saxophone ensemble, which was a big, hit with the audience.  Lauba is an avid composer of the saxophone and his compositions embrace many elements of the saxophones versatility of saxophone drawing inspiration from ‘bebop and jazz and then composing it in a contemporary classical style’. I ask if she is looking at any more of his works in her playing yet and she tells me that ‘they are very advanced in technique and hugely demanding from the performer’, currently Lucy is looking at learning the techniques but as soon as she has got them under her fingers she will ‘definitely start to learn them’.  Another exciting composer who ‘looks at and embraces the saxophone’s cross genre versatility is Barry Cockroft’. ‘His music is so exciting, as a saxophone player himself he knows exactly what will work on the instrument and really pushes the boundaries of in terms of techniques’. With works like Ku Ku and Beat me Barry Cockroft uses the saxophone ‘as a percussive instrument’ and ‘explores the sounds’ the saxophone can create even at one point in beat me asking the saxophone to ‘resemble the tone of a distorted guitar’. Barry Cockroft came to the UK three years ago to attend and perform at the fifteenth world saxophone congress in St Andrews and his performances for me were inspiring and opened my eyes to the potential of the instrument I was learning. I ask Lucy if she attended the fifteenth world saxophone congress and she tells me ‘no but the next one is next summer in France and I will definitely be attending’.

Next year Lucy has taken the initiative to set up and be the alto player for the Mousai Saxophone Quartet as well as playing in a saxophone Duo with fellow Leeds College of Music saxophonist Rosie Lord.

I leave the interview feeling that the future of classical music is in safe hands. Lucy Fox is a great saxophonist with fantastic control of the instrument and an enthusiasm which is inspiring to see. I look forward to hearing her play in her professional career.